国际英语新闻:French new cabinet wins confidence vote, no absolute mjority

PARIS, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- France's reshuffled government headed by Prime Minister Manuel valls on Tuesday won the confidence vote of the National Assembly, but lost a large majority of 289 seats needed to pass sensitive reforms.

The new cabinet was approved with 269 ballots. But, it was the poorest support in 28 years, with 244 lawmakers against the refreshed executive staff.

In a sign of rising anger over the Socialists' economic and social roadmap and their slumping approval, the government lost 36 votes compared to April's confidence vote when French Premier and his staff won 304 votes.

"There is a majority. It's reduced but clear. With this majority the government has the tools to continue implementing measures for the French interests," Valls told TF1 TV channel.

Addressing the parliament ahead the confidence vote, Valls vowed to preserve France's social model but pledged to go-ahead "with courage" in implementing "necessary reforms," mainly a 30-billion-euro (38.79 billion U.S. dollars) cut in labor costs.

Furthermore, he proposed reduced tax for low-income households and rise revenue of retired people.

Shortly after the disclosure of voting result, Eric Coquerel, national secretary of Left Party called for "a large national rally to protest against the vote confidence and removal of Valls government and Hollande politics."

Valls on earlier Monday said to go-ahead "with courage" in implementing "necessary reforms" to regain voters confidence and guide them to better economy and social welfare.

"What matters today is what we build and to restore confidence. What matters is efficiency and not ideology," he stressed, adding "to govern is to resist, to govern is to reform, to govern is to tell the truth, to seek confidence especially when it's difficult."

Seeking parliament support to his executive team, the second in five months, the French Premier invited opposition deputies and rebel lawmakers in the Socialist camp "to challenge the fatalities, the prognosis, the belief that would make our country incapable of reform ..." (1 euro = 1.293 U.S. dollar)